Kiwi equestrian wins the prestigious Badminton event
Nine months after giving birth to son Otis, Jonelle Price won the Badminton Horse Trials. Andrew Alderson details the dedication of her and husband Tim to reach the top of the eventing world.
The clock has ticked over 6am in England.
The Herald places a discreet call to Jonelle and Tim Price, hoping their instructions have not been misinterpreted.
Few in the sports industry would subject themselves to a dawn chorus of media questions on their life's opus.
Mind you, not everyone has the energy of the Prices, who are discovered barrelling through the English countryside on their way to another equestrian event.
No airs or graces are evident to suggest Jonelle had not long conquered Badminton on her mount Classic Moet.
The triumph was her first four-star event victory of the six available each calendar year. She matched her husband, who won on Wesko at Luhmuhlen in 2014.
What made Jonelle's achievement extraordinary was that she gave birth to their son Otis in August. Price was back in the saddle the following month, which led to victory on one of the sport's biggest stages this week.
Her 15-year-old black mare, known as "Molly" to those more familiar, was not to be overshadowed. She foaled earlier this year.
However, Badminton offers no sympathy to such circumstances. Instead, Price and Classic Moet demonstrated unimpeachable composure to complete the dressage in 22nd, move into the lead with the best cross-country round, then overcome some jittery showjumping rails after local favourite Oliver Townend exited the arena in pursuit of the sport's grand slam.
Jonelle Price and Classic Moet on the way to a fine victory at Badminton. Photo / Photosport
Jonelle joined Sir Mark Todd, Jock Paget and Andrew Nicholson as Kiwi victors at the Duke of Beaufort's Gloucestershire estate.
"I hadn't been in that position, going last into [a four-star] arena and on the cusp of something so big," she says.
"But part of being a competitor is having the ability to tune out from those outside factors.
"She's a very unassuming mare and not your obvious champion. She's so 'unspecial' that she's incredibly special, because she's so determined and brave."
Speaking of special, Otis had not made the latest trip with his parents because, in Jonelle's words, "there's only so much horse activity a little boy can take".
That's where their nanny, Harriet, comes to the fore.
"She's been a diamond," Jonelle says.
"She's an English girl but has just returned from spending six years in New Zealand, which was a selling point when we interviewed her.
"Come January I wanted to be back fulltime and, because of Harriet, it's been business as usual."
The careers of 37-year-old Jonelle and 39-year-old Tim appear set to sustain the British-based success achieved in the sport by the likes of Todd and Nicholson since the 1980s.
The homepage mantra on the couple's website provides a neat summary of their story so far:
"Tim and Jonelle Price, world-class event riders, best of friends, fiercest of competitors, husband and wife."
The Prices' pursuit of their livelihood has required diligence, toil and savvy.
Tim and Jonelle Price. Photo / Photosport
After a couple of seasons commuting from Canterbury, they set up business in 2005 on 120-acre Mere Farm in Wiltshire, about 5km from Marlborough township.
The pair got on well with landlords Tim and Melissa Brown, who bought the beautiful but run-down farm the year before.
The rent was set relatively low and the Prices were permitted to invest in infrastructure like post-and-rail fences amid the arena, stables and woodland.
Like many prospective overseas riders, they had limited financial means but plenty of ability. They needed contacts and avenues to demonstrate their prowess. Nowhere can service those eventing ambitions like Britain and Europe from spring to autumn.
Tim's reputation for breaking in horses helped convince owners they were worth the investment; Jonelle ran her own catering business which provided income on her way to gaining selection for the London Olympics. Both competed for New Zealand at the Rio Games.
The Prices are proud to be at the forefront of a new generation of Kiwi riders, but it took longer than expected to get established. Talent in the saddle was not enough.
"Luckily we were so naïve for the first seven years," Tim says.
"We looked forward but never back, but spurred each other along.
"You can find yourself riding all sorts of less desirable creatures and breaking-in horses to diversify. What's been difficult has been to get out of that."
They had to strike a balance between survival and reassessing what they were trying to achieve.
"We had to do away with a large portion of what would be deemed 'income' so we could focus on the sporting side of the business," Tim says.
"Like anything in this world you've got to specialise. You're better off doing less, but doing it properly, rather than trying to take on too much.
"I think we're lucky we had to leave everything behind [in New Zealand]. In the darkest hours you knew you had uprooted and, in a way, that gives you the gravitas to carry on and remind yourself why the hell you're doing it.
"We are fortunate we combine our business, hobby, passion and careers," Jonelle told the Herald on Sunday in 2015.
"We've got a really good deal. It's rare in this country [England] to actually get on with your landlords. We've witnessed so many young Kiwis move at least half a dozen times, which can be a difficult parallel step."
Tim and Jonelle Price at the CCI Luhmühlen. Photo / Photosport
Tim says the relationship with the Browns remained key.
"We've been lucky to stay in the one location the whole time, because the nature of the job is to progress and expand, so typically you start at a small place and look for opportunities to grow.
"The farm was actually too big for us but we haven't had to move and establish in a new location. Tim and Melissa allowed us to treat it as our own and sustain that growth over the years.
"We're getting closer to becoming locals which, in an area like Marlborough, I'd say would be 20 years," he quips.
The Prices' next major challenge, beyond the weekly competition and the odd four-star event, is September's World Equestrian Games in North Carolina.
Jonelle wants to make amends for New Zealand's fourth place at the 2016 Olympics, when gold slipped from their grasp in the showjumping phase.
"Rio was so disappointing. It's not spoken about, but there's a real feeling in the camp that there's a score to settle."
The presence of the Prices, with Tim ranked third in the world and Jonelle set to rocket up from 206th after her Badminton victory, will almost certainly help.
New Zealand's equestrian dynasty looks under tight rein.
